Petunia plant named `Royal Frost`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named &#39;Royal Frost&#39;, characterized by its bright purple flowers; cascading and freely branching growth habit; and unique green and very light yellow variegated foliage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia axillaris, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name Royal Frost.

The new Petunia is a naturally-occuring mutation of Petunia axillariscultivar Purple Wave (not patented). The new Petunia was discovered andselected by the Inventors in April, 1997, as a flowering plant within apopulation of plants of the cultivar Purple Wave grown in a controlledenvironment in Granville, Ohio. The new Petunia was selected on thebasis of its unique variegated foliage.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atGranville, Ohio, has shown that the unique features of this new Petuniaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Royal Frost have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance ingenotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Granville, Ohio, under commercial productionconditions.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Royal Frost`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Royal Frost` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Bright purple flowers.

2. Cascading and freely branching growth habit.

3. Unique green and very light yellow variegated foliage.

Plants of the cultivar Royal Frost are similar in flower color to plantsof the parent cultivar Purple Wave. However in side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventors in Granville, Ohio, plants of the cultivarRoyal Frost differ from plants of the cultivar Purple Wave in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia are smaller and have shorter internodesthan plants of the cultivar Purple Wave.

2. Plants of the new Petunia are less vigorous and slower growing thanplants of the cultivar Purple Wave.

3. Flowers and leaves of the new Petunia are smaller than flowers andleaves of the cultivar Purple Wave.

4. Plants of the new Petunia have fewer flowers than plants of thecultivar Purple Wave.

5. Plants of the new Petunia have variegated foliage whereas plants ofthe cultivar Purple Wave have solid green leaves.

A detailed comparison of plants of the new Petunia and the cultivarPurple Wave appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical hanging basket plant of the new Petunia.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of the new Petunia Royal Frost. Flower and foliagecolors in the photographs may appear different than the actual colorsdue to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were grown in greenhouses under typical productionconditions in 25--cm hanging baskets during the late spring inGranville, Ohio.

Botanical classification: Petunia axillaris cultivar Royal Frost.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring mutation of Petunia axillaris cultivarPurple Wave (not patented).

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate and develop roots.--About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. soiltemperature.

Rooting habit.--Numerous, fine, fibrous, and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.--Indeterminate, decumbent, cascading, viscid, glandular pubescent.

Branching habit.--Freely branching, lateral branches typically form atevery node.

Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).--About 8 cm.

Spreading area of plant.--About 42 cm, cascading.

Vigor.--Low to moderate.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical and longpersisting. Leaves usually opposite, somewhat fleshy, glandular. Length:About 3.75 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Thickness: About 0.75 mm. Aspect:Horizontal to upward. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:Entire. Texture: Both surfaces and margins pubescent. Color: Variegated;green centers surrounded by very light yellow. Young foliage uppersurface: Center green, 146B/146C to 147B; surrounded by lighter green,146D, and/or very light yellow, close to 8D. Young foliage lowersurface: Center green, 146C to dulled 147B; surrounded by lighter green,146D, and/or very light yellow, close to 8D. Mature foliage uppersurface: Center green, 147B/147C, slightly dulled; surrounded by verylight yellow, 8D/11D. Mature foliage lower surface: Center green, dulled147B; surrounded by very light yellow, 8D/11D. Peduncle: Length: About 7mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146B.

Stem description.--Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm.Texture: Very pubescent, glandular. Color: Green, 144A.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Large, single, salverform flowers, facingupwards, axillary. Calyx five-parted, petals united into a flower tube.

Natural flowering season.--Long day responsive, continuously flowersfrom spring through fall.

Quantity.--Numerous flowers per plant.

Corolla.--Diameter: About 4.25 cm. Height: About 3.3 cm. Flower tubewidth at distal end: Narrow, about 7 mm. Petal quantity: Five, fused.Petal apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Pubescent on lowersurface, smooth and satiny on upper surface; iridescent. Color: Flowerthroat (inside): 82A/83A. Flower throat vein color (inside): 83A. Flowertube color (outside): 83B/83C. Petal color, upper surface: 74A. Petalvein color, upper surface: 83A/83B. Petal color, lower surface: 81A to81C.

Sepals.--Quantity: Five. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:Linear. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Upright. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 144B/144C.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Erect, upright. Length: Short, about 1.4 cm. Width:Narrow, about 1 mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Stamen number: Five. Anther color, beforedehiscence: 93D. Filament color: Greenish white, violet towards anthers.Pollen color: 96B. Pistils: Stigma color: 144B. Style color: Greenishwhite.

Disease resistance: No resistance to diseases common to Petunia has beenobserved.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CHARACTERISTIC                                                                             `ROYAL FROST` `PURPLE WAVE`                                      ______________________________________                                        LEAF LENGTH  About 3.75 cm About 4.8 cm                                       LEAF WIDTH   About 2.3 cm  About 3.1 cm                                       LEAF COLOR,  Variegated; center,                                                                         Greener than 147B,                                 MATURE, UPPER                                                                              147B/147C, slightly                                                                         no variegation                                     SURFACE      dulled; surrounded by                                                         very light yellow,                                                            8D/11D                                                           COROLLA      About 4.25 cm About 5.75 cm                                      DIAMETER                                                                      COROLLA HEIGHT                                                                             About 3.3 cm  About 2.8 cm                                       PETAL COLOR, 74A           74A                                                OPENED, UPPER                                                                 SURFACE                                                                       PETAL COLOR, 81A to 81C    81A/81B                                            OPENED, LOWER                                                                 SURFACE                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named`Royal Frost`, as